How many times have you clicked on a website link that took you to a web page that looked anything but professional? A company could be completely legitimate and highly professional, but websites that aren’t professional in appearance will quickly turn visitors away. Few people are willing to take unprofessional looking websites seriously let alone trust their sincerity. Professionally designed websites that truly convey expertise provide concise information without the use of flashing links and tacky looking banners. Inexperienced website designers who try too hard to capture attention won’t achieve the professional results they want since websites cluttered with unorganized links leave visitors guessing. These types of websites end up looking like nothing more than poorly designed advertisements. They don’t appear professional, and they aren’t taken seriously by website visitors. The following tips will help you design professional looking websites that will achieve the results you want. Professional Website Content Drawing visitors and potential customers to websites by offering valuable information is an effective and highly professional marketing technique. When designing your websites, offer visitors information worth looking for, and provide that information using a clear and concise professional style. Don’t tease website visitors with bits of information that don’t provide the answers they’re seeking. As soon as they discover your websites offer nothing of value, no matter how professional those websites appear, they’ll quickly click away and begin looking elsewhere. Content Presentation and Spacing Website visitors should be able to easily scan each page for specific sections of interest. Make sure the information is well organized and presented in an easy-to-read manner. Make certain there are single spaces between each heading and paragraph, and headings should boldly and clearly define what each section is about. Visitors to websites don’t typically spend much time looking for answers and reading material before they begin looking elsewhere. The ability to find the information website visitors are looking for quickly and easily is a big plus for professional website owners. Text and Background Colors Don’t opt for creativity over professionalism and design your websites with brightly colored text and backgrounds. Likewise, don’t try to make a statement or capture attention by choosing dark backgrounds with lighter text. A white background with dark text is the best choice; it’s easy to read, easy on the eyes, and it ends up looking much more professional. Special Effects Special mouse-over effects and flash animation can be impressive to website designers, but website visitors looking for information really aren’t as impressed, and they certainly don’t want to wait. They want direct, easy-to-locate links for quick navigation. Mouse-over effects can be confusing, and although they can be highly ingenious and demonstrate great skill in web design, they really aren’t practical to those looking for specific products or answers to questions. Flash animation can make a bold statement on the landing page, but a link should be available to those who prefer to skip the show.